A Fabulous Reminder

This is us. The one showing lots of shoulder (in her Chengdu, China Marine Ball ball gown!) is the EFM who writes this blog. The one wearing a tux (James) is the employee who moves her (and their two sons) around all over the world. The red link, below, is how you can get in touch with me...

The time in Chengdu, China

Chengdu: city of fabulous food and beautiful Buddhist monasteries!

In Our Same Boat (with State)

Beyond the Cornfields
Brand-new State Department family in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Love their two little girls (she just recently had a baby while being posted in Dhaka), horticulture, traveling and adventure!
Email From The Embassy
State Department family formerly in Beijing, China, and recently posted to Amman, Jordan. A trailing spouse, she's also a writer, and frequently publishes articles with major news sources. A very experienced State family, this new post is something like overseas post number six or seven for them.
Just US
A beautiful family of seven - they have arrived at their new post: Jerusalem! They just finished off an unaccompanied tour to Iraq and are very much looking forward to sightseeing around the middle east.
Our Life
State Department family on their second post...Tijuana, Mexico. It's their first overseas assignment and they have two little boys. They love Tijuana so far and post pictures frequently! They also get to enjoy the best of both worlds for they can sneak over the border into San Diego when they want to!
The Dinoia Family
State Department family formerly in California, now in DC for a DC tour. Next, the husband will do a one year unaccompanied tour. A very experienced State family (formerly in Iceland and Caracas) with a blog that has been around quite a while and has great archives. Jen has a sweet heart and a lot to give!
The Perlman Update
State Department family formerly in Chennai, India, who then did a year-long unaccompanied tour in Iraq. They are now on a DC tour and after that will do another unaccompanied tour (Afghanistan). She totally tells it like it is and doesn't sugar-coat what life is really like. Witty, snarky, funny and down-to-earth. Look elsewhere if you want fake. Read if you want REAL.
Where in the World Am I?
State Department family formerly in Bujumbura, Burundi and now in Hyderabad, India. They just had their first baby this summer - a beautiful little girl- (there's a separate blog about this) and she also eats gluten-free (with a separate blog, also).

One of the most intriguing things about Chengdu is that it is a seamless blend of ancient and modern... all together, side by side.

Can't Live Without (non-State)

Crass-Pollination: An ER blog
The best ER nurse blog EVER!
Doctor Grumpy in the House
The best doctor blog EVER!
In Which...
My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of seven. Her darling daughters are, goshdarnit, probably too young to be hoped for as my future daughters-in-law.
The Crib Chick
My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of five. Hopefully two (Any two! I'm not picky!) of which are my future daughters-in-law.
the underwear drawer
An anesthesiologist who is possibly the most talented & entertaining writer ever. I've read her blog ever since she started medical school. No, don't know her in real life. Wish I did.
The Bloggess
This blog is both hysterically funny and hilariously irreverent. I actually let my 17 year old son read it (who loves it as much as I do!), but wouldn't even CONSIDER letting my 12 year old son read it. Which is about all the description it needs!

The grounds of Chengdu monasteries can be very, very peaceful...even though they are smack dab in the heart of a city of millions of people.

Specifics

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03/13/2012

A Fabulous Reminder

I saw this picture the other day, and it really, really resounded with me:

The only reason why this picture could have touched me so much and stayed with me so long is because I must identify with the fish who cannot climb the tree.

Who feels that it *ought* to be able to climb the tree.

Who feels ashamed that it's not up there, right now, in that tree. And that something must be wrong with it. Because somehow, it's gotten the message that HELLO, WHY THE HELL AREN'T YOU UP IN THAT TREE YET, FISH?

I can't be the only one who identifies with this picture. And just in case I'm not, I wanted to share it. And also, I wanted to share this next quote from the website of the guy who created that picture:

"It's an analogy that says trying to do something that you are ill suited to should not be a cause for despair any more than the fish should despair that it can't climb trees, for it is a beautiful swimmer."

FOR IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SWIMMER.

Yes, I should not be ashamed and feel stupid because I cannot climb the tree. I should be looking for my water. So that I can swim in it beautifully.

Posted on 03/13/2012 at 12:06 AM in EFM Issues, Me, Tigers & State Blogging Issues | Permalink

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Brian had Frost's poem about a road not taken as homework and in talking about it, he mentioned that he liked how the poet says it's ok to go off and do your own thing, even if others go elsewhere and even if there might not be a 'do over'... just be your own person. We talked about how it related to this Einstein quote (which I have on my laptop). :) Be content to know that you are on the right path, for you, because you are NOT a stupid fish. (Although Honor piped up and said he shouldn't use 'stupid fish' in his answer because it's not nice... ah.. kids... )

Posted by: Connie | 03/13/2012 at 01:56 AM

What a great reminder. Sometimes I focus so much on what I can't do, I can't even remember what it is I can.

Thanks, friend!

Posted by: Emily | 03/13/2012 at 05:05 AM

Although Einstein is more succinct, and this artist is more whimsical, here's another author who's more on the nose. "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these member do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." Romans 12: 4-6

Love that. Rather sit in my chair and type than swim up a tree.

Posted by: Mom | 03/13/2012 at 12:24 PM

You know, if all of us fish could get together, we could form a school. We could all swim beautifully together.

Posted by: Lisa | 03/13/2012 at 06:09 PM

What a great great posting!

Posted by: Hroulston | 03/23/2012 at 07:37 AM

The comments to this entry are closed.

James loves me. And our sons. And his job. But not having his picture taken. In 2011 he finished up over a year and half of training, and in the fall of 2011 we got to our first overseas post - Chengdu, China!